Paradox

This picture (go to image 4) caught my attention as I was catching up on the news this morning. It is full of contrast and irony. It makes me think of war and pain and also the innocence of children and the freedom of play. In a way it is very peaceful but then you see a soldier with a gun and a tank in the background and are reminded of the devastation and brokenness of our world. This image is haunting me. There is so much depth and so many vantage points to view it from. It exemplifies our universal humanness-at some point that soldier was that little boy on the swing. Is the soldier wishing he could go back in time? What does the boy think of the soldier? Is the soldier missing his family back home? Does the boy have a family or has his life been torn apart by war, by people that look like this soldier watching him? There is so much that goes unsaid, leaving much room for contemplation and reflection. The paradox of our world today was captured so vividly for me in this picture-it amazes me the impact a single image from halfway around the world can have on me, a girl whose life seems so disconnected from the reality displayed in the picture. It goes to show you how inextricably connected we all really are. I hope this image gives you something to think about today.